


His Forever Family

by PetrosBrightx



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex Has Anxiety (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex deserves the biggest hug, Alex’s parents are shitty, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Homophobia, Homophobic Slurs, M/M, One Shot, Slurs, bestfriends, luke and alex are exes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetrosBrightx/pseuds/PetrosBrightx
Summary: Alex decides to visit his house, the house where his parents and him lived, the house his parents kicked him out of.When he discovers the pride flag hanging on the wall, he feels he should be over the moon. But Alex can’t help the sick feeling in his stomach, of all the love he never got.
Relationships: Alex & Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 201





	His Forever Family

**Author's Note:**

> TW// for multiple homophobic slurs!
> 
> My take on Alex visiting home. I’ve read a lot of fics where it’s a happy fic, Alex realises how much he was loved, but I wanted to twist it and make Alex realise how much love he lost. 
> 
> There may be typos xx

Alex had finally worked up the courage to visit his house. The house where him and his parents had lived, the house he called home until his parents threw him to the streets and "Home" became a group of people. 

He wasn't expecting much, anything really. The last time he saw his parents, they were looking at him with the most foul looks, his mother cowering behind her husband, her belief that he could still be "helped" evident in the way she was halfheartedly reaching towards him. His father on the other hand, was recoiling back away from Alex as if his homosexuality could be spread through touch.

Alex hadn't meant to come out that night. It was a fine night, the tv a noise in the background, him and his parents sitting at the table eating a nice dinner. It was quiet, but it was home. 

They were almost finished dinner when the news came on. The man in the tv was talking about a pride parade that had happened earlier that day and while the tv was just background noise, fading into nothing as knives and forks clinked on plates, everyone's ears snapped to attention at the news. 

Alex stared in wonder, the colours and the joy coming from the videos of the parade was a wonderful sight. He found himself wishing he could have been there, been there in a world that was not so lonely. 

'What are you smiling at boy?'

Alex's smile dropped as his eyes locked onto his fathers, his mother nervously glancing between them. Alex didn't know what to say to that. His eyes dropped as his fathers stared harder. 

'You're not a fucking queer are you boy?!'

Silence. 

'Alex, answer your father.'

He looked up at his mother, hoping to find any sort of support, any sort of help, but she was looking at him with disappointment and distrust and he knew he'd lost her then and there. 

His father slammed his hand down on the table, making Alex flinch, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to control his shaking hands. 

'Yeah so what If I'm a queer, a fairy, a fucking fag? This is who I am and I'm your son!'

With that, his father sat back down.

'You're no son of mine. Get your things and leave. Now.'

Alex felt like he had fallen from an airplane, his mind going foggy as he tried to comprehend his fathers words. He vaguely saw his mother crying as his father dragged her out of the room, away from Alex. His face pale in shock, he stumbled up. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe! He had to get out of here.

Tumbling out the front door not long after, the door slamming shut behind him, the tears finally sprang free. Running down the path, he went to the only place he could think of, Luke would still be awake. 

Now, standing on that same pathway he had stumbled down an odd 30 years ago, Alex felt that same fear, that same sense of not being able to breathe and he immediately stopped and started breathing, in and out. His anxiety did not disappear when he had died it had seemed. 

The house seemed empty, the lights off, everything quiet so he took it upon himself to poof into the hallway just inside the door. He didn't know what to expect but it wasn't this. His parents were not photograph people, they never hung photos around the house when he was still living there. They didn't find it necessary because they had everything already there. But here and now, the hallway was lined with family photos and as Alex walked along and stared at them, he realised they were mostly of him. 

Photos hung on the walls from when he was a baby to pictures cut out of newspapers of Sunset Curve. He couldn't help but stare, so many pictures, some were of his parents, family and friends, but a certain golden haired boy smiled most of all. He looked at photos that he never knew existed and he frowned at photos that he did.

There was a picture of Luke and him. It was taken back when they were dating, by Reggie and his fancy new camera he had received at Christmas. Luke had his arm slung around Alex's shoulders, their heads tilted together, both smiling at the camera. Did his parents know that they were together in this photo? Why had they hung it up? 

Putting it to the back of his mind, he walked on into the living room. It was exactly the same as he remembered, except for the new additions of more photographs and as Alex stared in disbelief, a rainbow pride flag hanging from a bare wall that once had some intricate art of his mother's liking on it. 

The rainbow colours of the flag were like water in a desert, but he couldn't stop the sick feeling in his stomach. What did this mean? His father who had thrown slurs at him before throwing him to the streets now supported the gay communities? His mother who had tried to 'pray the gay away' before he was shoved out, removed her beloved painting and hung the flag in its spot. What was happening? 

He spun around, eyes searching for something, anything else to answer his questions. His feet took him into the kitchen, the planner with the circled pride parade on it, the phone one of his parents must have accidentally left behind this morning, it's colourful Lock Screen a picture of an old photograph of him and his parents when he was a child. In his hands he gripped a pair of drumsticks and he sat at his very first drum kit they had bought him. Baby Alex had the biggest smile on his face, convinced the world would treat him good, convinced that the two parents beside him would love him forever.

Alex turned away from the phone in disgust. That was a lie.

He found he couldn't stand it in here anymore, the walls too crowded, caving in on him and before he could crack, he found himself back in the studio. Julie was at school for the day so Luke and Reggie were making small talk, Luke with a pen tucked in his ear as he tried to write lyrics and Reggie lying on the couch, Bass in hand. They both looked up at him.

'Alex! How did it go?'

He didn't answer them, he could only plop himself down on the couch, narrowly avoiding sitting on Reggies legs. 

'Alex? Are you okay?'

Luke sat down on the table in front of him, they had both known he was going to his parents house. Luke was looking at him in pity.

'Hey it's okay, what happened?'

Alex finally found himself looking up. 

'They had a pride flag hanging in the living room, there were photos of me all over the house and they had circled to go to a pride event this weekend.'

Luke smiled, Reggie relaxing beside him.

'Hey buddy that's great! I'm so happy for you!'

'But why do you look so sad then?'

Alex glanced at Reggie would was tilting his head, looking confused. Alex threw his hands up and immediately stood, pacing the studio. 

'I don't know? I SHOULD be happy! They've changed for the better, they accept me now, they go to the parades and they accept other kids, other kids that are just like me. But the thing is... the thing is, I'm dead. I'm dead and I'm never coming back and they'll never see me again. They treated me like shit! They threw me out of my own house for being gay and now they are out here celebrating pride like they didn't destroy my life? They missed their chance at being supportive parents.'

Luke and Reggie exchanged glances before they each took ahold of Alex's hands, stopping him from digging his nails into his already damaged palms. They didn't say anything and Alex just let everything out. Tears streaming down his face as he collapsed, pulling his band mates down with him. 

'All I wanted was their support, all I wanted was their love and they didn't give me that, but they are out here now giving it to other kids? It took me DYING for them to realise what they did. They took their second chance and did something with it but.. but I'm dead!' He choked on his words, his anxiety flaring up full force as he shook. 'I'm dead and they'll never be able to tell me how much they love me, how sorry they are, how much they support me... I feel so, so selfish. But I just wish they had just loved me.'

Alex was inconsolable, Reggie and Luke not too far behind, and they wrapped him in their arms, pressing as close as they could, pushing all their love for him into the hug. 

Alex mumbled into the hug, ‘Im really happy that kids just like me get to experience the love of my parents, I just wish I got to too...’

Eventually Alex sniffled and drew back, his outburst finished, he found he couldn't speak. But that's okay because Luke and Reggie, his best friends, his brothers, had more than enough to say.

'Alex listen to me. I'm so so sorry you had to go through that and I'm so so sorry that you never got the love and support from your parents like you deserved. But Reggie and I, you know how much we love and support you. Till the end of time man, especially since we are ghosts and there's no end now, so you're stuck with us forever. 

Alex laughed softly, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

'Yeah man, I'll always love you, and now we have Julie! And Carlos and Ray! Ray is THE best dad, he makes the yummiest looking pancakes, aw man I wish I could eat them.' Reggie whined looking forlorn. 

'Thanks guys, I love you both too. I'm sorry you had to deal with this, I'll get over it. 

'You don't have to be sorry Alex, this isn't your fault, and you aren't selfish. You are valid and what you're saying is so understandable. But you don't ever have to feel like that here, we all love you, and you now have Willie!'

'Willie's a pretty great guy! He's so smart and awesome and he taught me how to ride a skateboard the other day! He's so cool!'

Luke nudged Reggie, 'Be careful man, Alex is going to think you're trying to steal his man.'

Alex laughed aloud as Reggie blushed furiously, stammering. 'N-no way, Willie's not even my type, he's so c-cool but no- never- uhh girls... am I right guys?'

'Yeah.'

'No.'

The boys laughed at that, fond memories coming back to them as they sat on the floor. Alex looked around at his family, Luke and Reggie were bickering and he knew Julie would be striding in here any minute to join in teasing them. His heart lifted and he smiled a genuine smile.

He loved his family and his family loved him and he would put his past behind him and focus on the future. On going on more dates with Willie, of spending time with Luke and Reggie and Julie, because they were his forever family now and he wouldn't give it up for the world.


End file.
